QBCC protects home owners from rogue builders

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30 October 2015

Action by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) has resulted in courts prosecuting 22 individuals and imposing more than $165,000 in penalties for unlicensed building activities this year.

Minister for Housing and Public Works, Leeanne Enoch, said the results showed the QBCC’s determination to protect home owners from anyone seeking to take advantage of the vulnerable and unsuspecting.

Last week, two unlicensed individuals – Brian John Byrne and Dean Geason – were fined $5,500 and $5000 respectively, for carrying out and undertaking to carry out building work.

“Another recent case involved an unlicensed individual, Stephen John Carpenter, who carried out defective renovation work to a bathroom that was for use by a disabled person.

Minister for Housing and Public Works, Leeanne Enoch, said the results showed the QBCC’s determination to protect home owners from anyone seeking to take advantage of the vulnerable and unsuspecting.

“Defective work issues can cause serious problems for home owners and lead to relationship breakdowns, stress, anxiety and insolvency.

“This highlights how important it is to use licensed individuals to do any kind of building work and to always have a written contract in place.”

In the two recent cases, the QBCC investigated complaints of defective work and found the individuals had carried out building work without ever holding a licence.

The QBCC has also recently used its new Supreme Court injunction powers against repeat offenders, with two individuals now facing possible imprisonment if they offer to undertake or carry out building work again.

Anyone with questions about licensing or unlicensed contracting is encouraged to contact the QBCC 24/7 on 139 333 or visit www.qbcc.qld.gov.au